This poem was written for a friend of mine who was trying to decide what to do with a relationship with someone he once loved, and while looking inside himself, he realized he still did. Yet the relationship did not seem to be the best one for him, or in the long run for either of them. But how do you turn and walk away when a portion of your heart is longing to stay? That is a question only the heart and mind can answer and it is not an easy one to answer. Do you put your heart on the line again, or do you close the door and slowly walk away? Only you can decide.

This poem originally was published in Sad Poems

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Letting Go
by Judy Burnette
How do you walk away from someone you love
And take the road of friend;
Can you reroute the course you have taken
And start over once again?

I don't really want to let you go
But inside me I know I must;
The times we've loved . . . the times you've left
My heart says stay . . . but it's my mind I must trust.

We have shared so much together
Laughter . . . fun times . . . tears;
Yet sometimes we can't turn back time
We must walk away, and allow ourselves to heal.

I know one day you will be happy
And your soulmate you will find;
I know we each have one out there
Even if for now . . . only in our minds.

May life be gentle with you
May God's best come your way;
And on some quiet tomorrow
You will realize things were better this way.
© 1999 Judy Burnette Please respect the rights of the author and Passions in Poetry. If you would like to use this poem on your own web page, please contact the Author. Thank you.
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62 Visitor Comments (from the Voting form)
  • Chanda
    I loved this poem, and can relate so well to it. Its hard to let go of what you once thought would last a lifetime.
  • siphesihle
    I can relate,turning your back on someone you love is not that easy!It just makes me realise that our wants may not be the best thing for us!
  • Divina
    This poem is really great! I haven't seen a poem that is very related on my experience. Yes it is true that loving someone who cannot love you back is the most hurtful experience but life should move on, it might not easy but i really have to do it. Thanks to the author u did an amazing job!
  • Lisa
    Oh my That poem really is great! I have been trying to let go of a first love, we got back in touch after 15 yrs, and we want it but we know in our hearts we must move on, and i am trying so hard to do just that, and your poem made me realize how i must face this.
  • Alexa
    This poem is exactly what i needed. I know me and my ex arn't supposed to be together and this completed what i needed to say
  • lynn
    I like this poem because most of it is what im trying to tell my boyfriend, i think me n him should just be friends but then he loves me too much and cries which makes me sad and sometimes i think i sould tell him but when i try to explain it he cries, he loves me alot more then i love him and wants a long term relationship but im still a teen and young and still dont know if hes the one. I want to experience other guys and find the one but he wont understand, i do love him and if we were to break up i would miss him but i cant find a way too tell him. :(
  • tine
    this is really, like saying what i am experiencing right now, its not easy to move on and let go. but there are circumstances that you must do it.
  • Sasheka
    i am right now battle with the same decision, ur poem helped alot.
  • Angie
    I liked what you had to say, abuot letting go but wanting the other person to find happiness one day. It fits exactly with what I feel about my soon to be ex husband, I don't want to be bitter.
  • Naomi
    I very much liked this poem, I have a friend who is finding it hard to let go of her ex, and I was trying to find a poem that would help her find closure and realize that letting him go is better for her than trying to keep him in her life. This poem reflects everything perfectly, and hopefully it will help her move on, as I hope it helped your friend also.
  • Lalaina
    This is so Beautiful I jus wanted to cry
  • E
    As I read: I felt, I thought, I was touched. Thanks, E.
  • heather
    your poem is a heart toughching poem wheni read more and more poem expecally good ones like this one it encoragese me to makes me want to be like u and be able to wright really good poems like you
  • swetha
    ur poem brought all feelings in my heart so beautifully i really liked it coz it aint complex but yet brings the feeling out into the open
  • christi
    The poem that you have put together really helps put my words in place i have been in a relationship for seven years and also had his baby. I am having a hard time moving on not that i can't its just that i feel quilty about moving on with this guy that i met. but this helped me understand that when its just not meant to be you just need to move on away from the sitution. Thanx,
  • She
    tears welled into my eyes. i'm undergoing the same situation and it really hurts. emotions transalated into simple words.
  • Olga
    This poem helped me alo. i really liked it because i was going threw the similar thing. I broke up with my ex boyfriend and i knew it was for the best but like the poem said i really didnt want to let go but indide me i knew i must. Thanks
  • kris
    There are times when you think that you have found the right one for you but unfortunately you found out that you dont share the same feelings. It hurts and no matter how you want to fight for it, its useless and there's no better way but to let go.
  • ron
    could not had said it any better myself
  • james
    Im crying my eyes out right now. This is exactly what I'm going through. After 10yrs. I had to walk away from probably the best man I will ever know. Very, very good poem.
  • Nancy
    I love it. I can really relate to it right now.
  • Bernice
    I thought the poem was very good. I was looking for similar words. thank you
  • seng
    i like the poem because i can relate on it very well. its really hard to let go, but i must.
  • Jasper
    This poem is complete TRUTH. Sometimes one must be willing to let go of something to gain it. If you cling to it, you'll never "have it". But if you are willing to lose it, you can gain it. This poem is very inspiring and very beautiful! I'm awestruck!
  • dj
    this poems says alot about how everyone feels at some point and time. and if they cant bring it to words. this poem sure does. it is hard walking away from someone you in love with. i just done it. and it hurts like there will be no tomorrow. , but every morning. you get up and go on. no matter how much you hurt or how lonely you are. there will always be a tomorrow. thanks for putting it in words that some of us cant express.
  • Danni
    I am going through a break up and it helped me alot tank you
  • TaLeah
    this was a truly lovely poem and it really helped me make a good decision-for the both of us.
  • Corina Tessa
    this poem is awesome this is the bomb shizzle.
  • Michelle
    This is such a beautiful poem. I have been having a hard time letting someone know how I feel now or actually don't feel. This is a great start to letting go:) You are so talented, Keep up the awesome work.
  • Alexandra
    Humility in the face of pain and loss in a virtue few carry! This poem exemplifies this emotion for me! Great work.
  • cara
    Thank you! You took the words right out of my heart and made us both understand and begin to heal.
  • Jessica
    I really enjoyed the poem. Not only did it touch my heart but also brought tears. I'm trying to let go of someone who I dated for two years and I loved very much. But, like the poem said. it just never seemed right, like there was something else out there. Even though my heart wanted it to work my head was saying something else. It's been six months and I still haven't figured out just how to let go and say goodbye but, I thank you for writing the poem. I guess you could say it inspired me.
  • Tina
    This poem is really good it reminded me so much of me and this guy even though i loved him so much i had to let him go
  • Monika
    I really enjoyed this poem because it comes deep from the heart. I am going through this situation and its hard to make the decision of letting go or giving it another try. Only time will tell.
  • Stephanie
    that poem is AWESOME i really relate to this
  • angie
    beautiful and very powerful. its so damn true that it hurts
  • Gili
    I really enjoyed this poem, It seems as if the poems was writen for my situation. great job.
  • catrina
    thank you so much for writing this poem it touched my heart and explains exactly how i feel right now
  • rene
    excellent thats all it is so exactly intact with my life here and now
  • bb
    great poem keep up the great work!
  • Katie
    This is a great poem. You did a wonderful job with it. I know exactly how you fee, and you made is so understandable. You've got true talent, hold on to that .
  • melissa
    i loved this poem , it tuched me , im going through the time were ur in a relation shp that might not be working out but you just domnt wnat t let go , but its for the beter and this peom showed me sumtimes things are beter , and sumtimes its just over , thanks i loved ur poem
  • jasmine
    I really enjoyed reading it! B/c i am going through a situation right now where i needed to hear that! And to know that as I am letting to go to look at it as a positive thing! Not like im trying to hurt anyone! Thank you!
  • Michelle
    I just let go of someone whom I at one time really loved. I had no choice because everything I once felt about them had died but in my mind I thought just maybe just one more try because I felt so bad about leaving this person. In a sense I still love James and I probably always will but your poem just enlightend the reality that I made the right decesion. I was feeling kind of blue today until I read this poem. I just want to say thank you.
  • Kristy
    that made me blubber like a baby i;m goin thru that experience noe thank you there is light a the end of th tunnel
  • anne
    Loved the poem, read it last night it encouraged me to say goodbye today and wish them a lovely life. I do like them but I can let them go
  • lorrie
    i love this poem it makes me think how me and my ex were all the time into it and i wish to become back friends with him soon thanks for haveing such a great poem keep up the good work
  • fran
    This was a great poem. I have read alot of "breaking up" poems,and this is the best yet.
  • nora
    my situation exactly. how do i treat someone as just a friend when i painfully love him so. but how do i hold on knowing that a part of him will always belong to HER?
  • J
    I very love this poem.
  • Kelly
    I've been searching this site for the perfect poem to say goodbye. and I finally found it. Thank you.
  • Sharlyn
    GREAT POEM! Really touched me, esp in my current situation. Keep writing Judy, you're an inspiration!
  • Jenn
    This poem is geat!
  • Gerrit
    That's what I need to do, you put it just in such meaningful words. Great poem !
  • cmarr
    Wow! this poem really touch my situation.
  • AMANDA
    I LOVE THIS POEM THIS MEAN ALOT TOO ME . THANK AGAIN FOR SHARING THIS LOVING POEM
  • Rosemary
    I loved this poem. Good job.
  • Annie
    ur poem is good!!!!!! hope u rite more poems hope all the best 4 u! bye i really fink ur poem sound great
  • J
    I really loved this poem. It's strange how well it described how I was feeling at the time.
  • Juanita
    This poem say a lot. I have been there myself. And in the end everything works out ok. It hurts but its for the best.
  • Jason
    THis is a very good poem.. very well written. GOOD JOB!
  • maritza
    This poem really touch my heart,is very, very beatifull.
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